Clutch control for duplicating machines



June 1, 1948. F. w. sToRcK CLUTCH CONTROL FOR DUPLICATING MACHINES 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May .11, 1946 June 1, 1948. F. w. STORCK 2,442,574

CLUTCH CONTROL FOR DUPLICATING MACHINES Filed May 11, 1946 2Sheets-Sheet 2 s5 x q f & 6 36 F awe/X01.

35 M Q EM- Patented June 1, 1948 CLUTCH CONTROL FOR DUPLICATIN GMACHINES .Frederick W. Storck, Arlington, Mass., assignor to StandardDuplicating Machines Corporation, Everett, Mass., a corporation ofMassachusetts Application May 11, 1946, Serial No. 669,024

4 Claims. (01. 192-33) This invention relates to duplicating machinesand more particularly to a drive and clutch that is adapted to operatethe machine for a single cycle of operation or in continuous successivecycles-wtih a determinate stopping point between the cycles ofoperation.

To illustrate a practical embodiment of the invention, the present novelfeatures are shown embodied in a fluid process duplicating machine.

In general, duplicating machines, and more particularly machines of thecharacter of the presently illustrated machine, are provided with meansfor securing a master copy to the printing platen or drum. Clear sheets,upon which the master copy is to be duplicated, are singularlypositioned for feeding into registered engagement with the master copy.During the feeding function the clear sheet is simultaneously moistenedby various methods known in the art After the clear sheet is positionedfor feeding, the machine mechanism is actuated to advance the sheet andengage the master copy in a regtered relation to complete theduplicating or printing function. Each time this operative cycle hasbeen completed, the beginning of the next cycle must start at adeterminate point so that the next successively positioned clear sheetwill be advanced to register with the master copy.

To obtain proper registration of the clear sheet with the master copy,it is obvious that the sheet feeding elements and actuating mechanismfor the master copy carrying member must be correlated. Coacting feedrolls functioning in a direct relation to the master copy carryingmember have been used for positioning and advancing a clear sheet toregister with a master copy. The feed rolls are preferably provided withan intermittent dwell period so that the leading edge of a clear sheetmay be properly positioned in the bight formed by the feed rolls.

Machines for effecting the above functions are now well known in the artand one such machine embodying the required features is fully shown anddescribed in U. S. Reissue Patent No. 19,951 issued to Frederick W.Storck on April 28, 1936.

Motive power is frequently desirable to operate duplicating machines. Asuitable source of power may be employed and directly associated with aprime mover embodied in the machine mechanism. Such a prime mover may bein the form of a pulley continuously driven from the source of power andfreely rotatable relative to the machine operating mechanism. Motivepower of this character presents a problem in machines having cyclicoperations and more particular y 2 c in machines operating on materialin which positioning, feeding and registering requirements exist andsuch as is present in a duplicating machine. Duplicating machines may beoperated in a single cycle manner wherein it is required that thedriving and driven members disengage after each complete cycle or themachine may be operated in continuous successive cycles that requiresthe driving and driven members remain in engagement until the desirednumber of cycles has been completed, and in either instance the printingelement must be stopped in a registering position on the completion ofthe operative cycle.

To effect an operative engagement between the driving and driven membersit is desirable to use a form of clutch that may be readily engaged ordisengaged. To function in the present required manner the control mustbe effective to instantly disengage the machine mechanism from the primemover so that the master carrying member will again be determinatelypositioned for the next successive cycle of operation.

Accordingly, one of the primary objects of the present invention is toprovide a clutch and clutch control for a machine drive that willautomatically disengage the driven members of the machine from acontinuously rotating prime mover in a manner that will arrest movementof the printing element at a determinate combined stopping and startingpoint relative to a cycle of operation of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clutch control formachines having a determinate combined stopping and starting point foreach complete cycle of operation that may be selectively positioned tocause disengagement of the driving and driven member after a singlecycle of operation or a continuity of cycles of the machines that ineither instance will arrest movement of the printing element at thedeterminate stopping and starting point.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple manuallycontrolled means for effecting optional engagement between the drivingand driven members for a single or a continuity of cycles of operationsof the machine.

A still further object ofthe invention is to provide clutch engagingelements that are pivoted and arcuately moved when in their inoperativeposition and automatically increases the clearance between the drivingand driven clutch ena ing elements when the members are disengaged,

The foregoing objects are intended asa general statement and are not tobe construed as limiting the invention thereto as other objects andadvantages will become apparent from the following description of apreferred form of the invention and wherein many changes andmodiflcations may be made by those skilled in the art without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a fluid process duplicating machine havingthe present invention embodied therewith.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken substantially along line 2-2, Fig. 1,but shows the continuously driven prime mover in addition.

Fig. 3 is a view corresponding substantially to Fig. 2 but shows some ofthe parts in a different position.

'Fig. 4 is a detail of one of the driven members having an annular camassociated therewith.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the member shown at Fig. 4 with the cambroken substantially along line 55, same figure.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary face view of the continuously driven prime movershowing its clutch engaging elements.

Fig. 'l is a sectional plan view taken substantially along line 1-1,Fig. 6, and also shows the opposed clutching member.

Fig. 8 is a view, on an enlarged scale, corresponding substantially toFig. '7 but shows some of the parts in a different position.

Fig. 9 is a detail of one of the clutch control members, and t Fig. 10is a side elevation of the member shown at Fig. 9.

As illustrated the duplicating machine is provided with opposedstationary side frames III which support the functioning elements of themachine. The printing platen or drum II is rotatably mounted upon astationary shaft 12 suitably supported in the side frames III. This drumII is provided with a clamping device l3 that is adapted to receive andsecure the leading edge of a master copy to be duplicated upon clearsheets.

A clear sheet to be duplicated upon is advanced from a support l4 untilthe forward edge of the sheet contacts and is positioned in the bight ofopposed feed rolls I5, l6 that are intermittently rotated in a directrelation to the rotation of the drum II. The starting of the feed rollsI5, i6 and advancement of the forward edge of a sheet to be duplicatedupon is in a direct relation to the edge of the master secured by thedrum clamping member l3 so that the clear sheet will correctly registerwith the master copy when both are engaged between the drum and itscoacting pressure roll H;

In the present machine the drum H and feed rolls are both intermittentlyactuated by mechanism that includes a driving pinion l8 secured to adrive shaft 19 which is suitably mounted for rotation in the machineframe 10. The driving pinion l8 meshes with and drives an intermediategear 20 to which an intermittent gear 2| meshes with and actuates acoacting intermittent ear 22 that is attached to the drum ll. Theseintermittent gears 2|, 22 are of the usual construction wherein apredetermined portion of the periphery of each is free from teeth andcontinued rotation of the driving gear will not rotate the driven gearuntil the blank'space 1n t e driving gear has passed the blank space inthe driven gear and the teeth of both enmesh.

In this particular instance I have provided coacting lock slides 23. 24which are associated with the opposed intermittent gears II, 22. Theselock slides 23, 24 function in a manner corresponding to the usual blankspaces of opposed intermittent gears. This construction is well knownand utilized in instances wherein the blank space of one of theintermittent gears would permit only a very limited slide length whichwould have a tendency to produce a wedging action between the opposedslides.

A duplicating machine of substantially the above construction is fullyshown and described in my patent previously referred to, thereforefurther detailed description is thought to be unnecessary and moreparticularly in view of the fact that my clutch control is notspecifically limited thereto.

The clutch and clutch control Freely mounted for rotation in a fixedposition on the drive shaft I9 is a pulley I! that functions as themachine mechanism prime mover and is continuously actuated by a suitablesource of power, not shown. This pulley'hub 25a is provided with opposedelongated bores 25b adapted to receive clutching elements 28 that arepivotally supported at 260 in a manner that permits the elements to bedisposed in opposed engaged and disengaged positions. See Figs. 6, 7 and8. The inner face of the hub 25a is provided with arcuate recesses 250each adapted to receive a compression spring 21 that has its hearing atone end in the recess and its opposite end in engagement with the clutchelement 24 and this spring urges the elements to their normal disengagedpositions as shown by broken lines;

Fig. 8.

In the present instance the side face of the pinion driven gear 20 isprovided with an interrupted raised annular cam face 28 with theterminating portions of the cam face inclined down to the face of thegear. The cam face 28 is adapted to engage a cam contact element 29associated with a connecting lever 30. This lever 30. in thepresent-arrangement, is substantially an inverted U-shape and isprovided with elongated openings 30:: adapted to receive studs 32, thatare secured in the side frame, which are provided with cross pins 3|that are adapted to engage the face plane of the lever 30 and form abearing against which the lever may be rocked. The op- Posed terminatingends of the U lever have their bearing against a flange 33a of a sleeve33 that is slidably mounted on the drive shaft l9. This sleeve 33 isprovided with an opposed flange 33b having a washer 34 secured theretothat engages with and carries a clutch key 35 that extends through thedrive shaft I! in a longitudinally extending slot l9a. A chamber lib isprovided in the drive shaft l9 and is adapted to receive a compressionspring It having one of its ends bearing against an end wall of thechamber and its opposed end associated with the transversely extendingclutch key 35 in a manner that continuously urges the key 35 to itsoutward operative position in the path of the pulley clutch elements 26.Through the pressure exerted by the sprin 36 and its action through theslidable sleeve 33 and the lever 30 pivoted against the cross pins II,the cam contact element 28 is urged into contact with the cam face 28.

Operation When the machine mechanism is at rest, the cam contact element29 is in engagement with the cam face 28 and by means of the cross pinbearings 3i. the lever 30 restrains the sliding sleeve 33 and clutch key35 in their inoperative position against the action of the compressionspring 36 with the prime mover pulley 25 freely rotating on the driveshaft i9.

To begin a machine cycle of operation, the operator either through afoot pedal or other connections (not shown) depresses a lever 31 whichhas one end attached to a fixed pivot 38 and its opposed end pivotallyconnected at 39 to a connecting link 40 that engages with the U-shapedlever 30. As the lever 31 is depressed to move the lever 30 downwardly,the cam contact element 29 is displaced radially from the annular camface 28, as shown by broken lines,. Fig. 4, and releases the action ofthe compression spring 35 which causes the clutch key 35 to be forcedoutwardly into the engaging path of the drive pulley clutch elements 26.When the drive pulley elements 26 are engaged they are moved from theirinoperative positions, indicated by broken lines, Fig. 8, thuscompressing their engaging spring 21 and locking the clutch elements 26against one end wall of the elongated bore 25b to rotate the machinemechanism with the pulley 26.

To obtain only a single cycle of operation of the machine, the lever 31is depressed and immediately released, thus causing the spring 4| tourge the lever upwardly so that, as the annular cam 28 is rotated, thecam contact element 29 will be urged to enter the opening 28 of the camand be disposed in the engaging path of the cam face. As the cam contactelement engages the incline 28b and travels to the cam face, the lever30 through its engagement with the sleeve flange 33a causes the clutchkey 35 to be disengaged from the pulley clutch elements 26 and againcompresses and loads the actuating spring 36. As the pulley clutchelements 28 are disengaged, their engaging springs 21 cause their outerends to be rocked and stopped against the oppositeend wall of theelongated bore 25b and disposes the ends of the elements in a mannerthat provides an added clearance between the ends of these elements andthe face of the clutch key 35. The drive disconnecting action isarranged to be effective in the dwell period of the intermittent gears2I, 22 so that rotary movement of the drum Ii is arrested at adeterminate point. It is obvious that when the control lever 31 remainsdepressed and restrains the cam contact 29 from entering into the pathor the cam face 28, the machine mechanism will continue its rotarymovement while the intermittent gears eflect a dwell period of the drumll during each operative cycle of the machine.

While there has been shown and described a preferred embodiment of theinvention, it is obvious that changes and modifications may be madetherein by those skilled in the art without department from the spiritand scope of the invention and therefore the novel features of theinvention are not to be limited to the specific details hereindisclosed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a duplicating machine having single and continuous cycles ofoperation. and a drive comprising a primary driving member and membersto be driven with means for engaging and disengaging said members thatincludes oppositely disposed clutch engaging elements carried by saiddriving member and a slidable sleeve adapted to coact with said elementsto engage said members in a driving relation with pressure means urgingsaid sleeve into its operative position; clutch control means adapted toactuate said sleeve to its inoperative position at a determinate'pointafter an operative cycle of the machine and selectively release saidsleeve for operative engagement, said last means including a leverrockably and vertically movable relative to a fixed pivot point, saidlever having one end associated with a cam embodied with said drivenmembers and its opposed end associated with said clutch sleeve in amanner whereby said lever is retained in engagement with said cam andthe cam functions to move the sleeve from operative to inoperativeposition when the lever is in one substantially vertical position anddisposed to release said sleeve to its operative position when the leveris in another vertical position with means for positioning said lever inits substantially vertical positions.

2. In a duplicating machine having a determinate cycle of operation anda drive including driving and driven members with clutch means forengaging and disengaging said members in a driving relation thatincludes clutch engaging elements carried by one of said members and aslidable sleeve disposed between the driving and driven members andadapted to coact and engage said members in an operative relation;clutch control means including an interrupted annular faced cam and alever rockably and vertically movable relative to a fixed pivot pointwith one portion of the lever associated with said cam and anotherportion associated with said slidable sleeve with a single pressuremeans urging said lever into contact with said cam face and forcing saidsleeve to its operative position when said lever is displaced from itsnormal operative position in engagement with the cam face with means toposition said lever for operative engagement by the cam face and wherebythe clutch elements are disengaged from their driving relation in adeterminate period of a cycle of operation of the driven members.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 and having clutch engaging elementscarried by one of said members that are pivotally disposed andyieldingly urged to their normal inoperative position with a stop tolimit the yielding movement of said elements in opposite directions.

4. A device as set forth in claim 2 and having a clutch sleeve providedwith a bearing flange and an engaging lever that is substantially aninverted U-shape and each leg having a bearing against said flange atopposed sides of the sleeve, the upper portion of said lever beingprovided with a cam contact adapted to be engaged by the annular camface, said lever having opposed elongated guide openings adapted toreceive a fixed pivot arranged to permit a combined rockable andvertical movement of said lever together with means for actuating saidlever.

FREDERICK w. s'roaora summons orran The following references are ofrecord in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 854790 Lang Sept. 3, 1907

